


Analogy

by yukiscorpio



Series: The City [4]
Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-03
Updated: 2014-04-03
Packaged: 2018-01-18 02:04:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1410919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yukiscorpio/pseuds/yukiscorpio
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Almost a week after it all, Yanagi asks Yagyuu to meet up for drinks one night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Analogy

**Author's Note:**

> This is a side story to The City, set after the events in the main story. It contains heavy spoilers to the main story.
> 
> Originally published on LJ in December 2007.

Almost a week after it all, Yanagi asks Yagyuu to meet up for drinks one night. There are things he wants to talk about and they are better discussed in private, but Yanagi wants to take Yagyuu out of his comfort zone, to a setting that is not filled with memories of Niou.

Yagyuu arrives on time, appropriately dressed for the VIP room of the hotel bar, hair combed perfectly and eyes shielded by clear but highly reflective glasses. During the short time between the door opening and Yagyuu shutting it behind him, Yanagi sees women looking this way, possibly wondering who this finely dressed gentleman is.

The waiter who shows Yagyuu in also brings with him the two bottles of wine Yanagi has ordered. Yanagi tips him generously and tells him to leave them alone. He pours a glass for Yagyuu and speaks before Yagyuu tries to stop him. "Make an exception," he gestures for Yagyuu to sit down in the other armchair. Yagyuu considers before sitting down with a resigned sigh, but also a smile.

"How are you?"

Yagyuu holds the wine in his mouth for a few seconds, tasting and taking his time. Possibly thinking. He doesn't answer the question. "Who is asking?"

"Me." Although Yanagi doesn't know who he is to Yagyuu anymore. Old partner? Mentor? Friend? One of the men who killed Niou?

Yagyuu considers for a while. "I am as you see I am now. So it's an unnecessary question."

"You-"

"I don't blame you."

"But it is because of my negligence."

"I'm not after him, either."

Tension drains away from Yanagi. He cannot let anyone hurt Yukimura - but he would not let anyone hurt Yagyuu, either.

"Has he ever told you that he loves you?" Yagyuu asks, and sees Yanagi nod. "Have you ever told him the same?"

"Yes."

"I have never said such words to Niou, although he said them almost everyday. I never believed him; I still don't. And I don't," Yagyuu finishes his glass of wine, "think I loved him at all."

Yanagi ponders this.

"A man who was not loved, died," says Yagyuu. "Was it a tragedy? Or was he released from tragedy?"

"A woman, betrayed by her husband and with loansharks at her door, jumps off a building with her young child in her arms. Has the child been saved, or murdered, by its mother?"

"You are terrible at making analogies."

The corners of Yanagi's lips curves upwards. "Your answer?"

"The child is dead, so it doesn't matter anyway." Yagyuu is impassive.

"And because it doesn't matter, there is no need to deny anything."

Yagyuu falls silent. He allows Yanagi to refill his glass. Eyes settle on the city outside, revealed to him by the glass wall before them. Niou once told him about a good, obscure spot for viewing the city at night, but Yagyuu can't remember right now.

"If it doesn't matter, then my feelings change nothing."

"Apart from what he means to you, or what you want him to mean to you. _You_ are not dead; don't treat yourself as if you are." Yanagi shifts in his seat, turning towards Yagyuu a bit more.

Yagyuu doesn't say anything right away, and when he does, he steps around the topic. "Which is why I said your analogies are terrible."

Yanagi shrugs, smiling. All that matters is that it got Yagyuu thinking, and they both know this. They sit, silent for a long time, until Yagyuu suddenly turns towards Yanagi.

"If the man who died was loved, was his death a tragedy then?"

"How does it matter?"

"I don't know, actually." Yagyuu's glass is empty again.

"It's probably important to him. He did like a bit of drama." Yanagi tilts his head and thinks. Yagyuu helps himself to the wine. "That was an understatement, wasn't it?"

They chuckle a little.

"Were there any last words?"

"'Fuck you, Yanagi.'"

"Really?"

"No, but if there had been the chance."

"You are horrible, both of you."

"We learned from the finest."

"Vulgarity is not my style."

"I'm afraid I don't know any other word that'd convey quite the same meaning."

"I will get you a thesaurus for Christmas."

"Or you could learn to say 'fuck'."

Yanagi laughs, nearly spilling his wine. The two bottles are almost gone. "I could."

Yagyuu pours the last of the wine, filling both their glasses. He leans back into the seat, removes his glasses and flicks open the top buttons of his shirt. Yanagi watches him with alcohol-glazed eyes.

"Are my worries unfounded?"

"You know, there isn't a need for words. Or verification, for that matter."

"Ah..."

"Sometimes things smack you right in the face, you can't miss it."

"But it doesn't make sense."

"It's what you choose to believe that matters."

"I'll try to remember." Yanagi sits up when Yagyuu stands. "You're going?"

"Yeah. Haven't drunk this much in ages. I should take him home."

Yanagi sits back again. He should probably ask Yukimura to come and pick him up, too.

"Thanks for the wine."

"Take care of Yagyuu."

"You'll kill anyone who hurts him, I know. I'll look after him." Yagyuu opens the door. He smirks. "Being killed once is enough."


End file.
